Business

$5 Parking – Bringing New Life to Uptown and Downtown Business Areas

Oakland leaders gathered downtown in front of the Fox Theater at 1805 Telegraph Ave. to announce safety plans being launched under the city’s new program ‘Five After Five.’ This program allows workers and the community members to park at the Franklin Plaza Parking Garage, located at Franklin and 19th streets, for only five dollars after 5 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends.

Published

2 years ago

November 7, 2023

Magaly Muñoz

Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan spoke at thepress conference in front of the Fox Theater. City of Oakland photo.

By Magaly Muñoz
Post Staff

Oakland leaders gathered downtown in front of the Fox Theater at 1805 Telegraph Ave. to announce safety plans being launched under the city’s new program ‘Five After Five.’

This program allows workers and the community members to park at the Franklin Plaza Parking Garage, located at Franklin and 19^th streets, for only five dollars after 5 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends.

The intention for the new program is to draw more visitors to downtown businesses while offering a secure parking location at the Franklin Parking Garage for customers and employees to leave their cars without fear of people breaking into them.

“More folks on the streets having fun, catching a show or catching dinner, that means that there’s going to be more people in the street and that means less crime and more business for our downtown merchants, which of course means we, the city, can collect those tax dollars and give it right back through services,” Mayor Sheng Thao said.

Speaking of the extended hours pilot parking program, Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan said, “Thank you to everyone who worked together to help launch this important pilot program to enhance the vitality of our businesses and the safety of our community. I’m pleased we are able to provide secure parking and later hours, to better serve residents, customers, workers, and our growing restaurant and nightlife scene.”

According to Oakland Police Department crime reports, auto burglary is up 35% from last year and carjacking is up 24%.

Thao said the garage, with 373 available parking spots, will be open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday to encourage more nightlife activity in the area’s bars, restaurants, and theaters. The garage will be equipped with cameras and security to ensure a safer environment for patrons and their vehicles.

The new extended Franklin Parking garage hours are:

Monday through Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Thursday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Saturday 12 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Safety ambassadors and foot patrol units will be stationed along busy areas of the city, including Jack London Square, Fruitvale, the Laurel District and many more.

Another initiative to attract more foot traffic is the Activate Oakland grant that will provide recipients up to $10,000 in funds to organize events that support businesses and culture in Oakland. Recipients of the grants will be announced in the coming weeks.

Carroll Fife, councilmember for District 3, which includes the downtown area, stated that this plan has been a long time coming and it’s one of the measures they can take to make sure that businesses can thrive and stay in Oakland.

“This is just the beginning,” Fife said.

She acknowledged that more needed to be done to ensure that the community was transforming, but this program was a step in the right direction.

Along with the security personnel and cameras, Tony Leong, general manager of Fox Theater, said that the corridors leading to the Franklin Plaza garage will have better lighting so that those engaging in nightlife will feel safer walking to their cars.

He added that event parking used to be $20 in the parking garage, but with this program, the rates will be more affordable, and the garage will stay open until 1:30 a.m. so that people do not feel rushed to leave immediately after a concert or show.

“This is just the beginning of an improved corridor; it’s going to be safer and it’s going to be a lot more vibrant. We’re going to make sure foot traffic is up and that everyone is out and about around here,” Leong said.

With violent crime rates up 22% from 2022, the speakers were asked how a parking garage can ensure the safety of the community members walking the streets, just trying to enjoy their night.

Thao stated that the foot traffic will allow for more people to witness and catch the crimes. She added that there will also be more OPD officers patrolling the area on the weekends.

“It’s not so much about bringing people to the downtown area…the more people we have on the street, the more eyes and ears, we’re going to be able to be safer,” Thao said.

The ‘Five After Five’ program will operate throughout the holiday season. Once the holidays are over, the city of Oakland will assess the program’s impact and propose recommendations for its future.

Kimberly Jones, from the office of Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan, contributed to this report.

Magaly Muñoz

A graduate of Sacramento State University, Magaly Muñoz’s journalism experience includes working for the State Hornet, the university’s student-run newspaper and conducting research and producing projects for “All Things Considered” at National Public Radio. She also was a community reporter for El Timpano, serving Latino and Mayan communities, and contributed to the Sacramento Observer, the area’s African American newspaper.

Muñoz is one of 40 early career journalists who are part of the California Local News Fellowship program, a state-funded initiative designed to strengthen local news reporting in California, with a focus on underserved communities.

The fellowship program places journalism fellows throughout the state in two-year, full-time reporting positions.

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Magaly Muñoz

A graduate of Sacramento State University, Magaly Muñoz’s journalism experience includes working for the State Hornet, the university’s student-run newspaper and conducting research and producing projects for “All Things Considered” at National Public Radio. She also was a community reporter for El Timpano, serving Latino and Mayan communities, and contributed to the Sacramento Observer, the area’s African American newspaper. Muñoz is one of 40 early career journalists who are part of the California Local News Fellowship program, a state-funded initiative designed to strengthen local news reporting in California, with a focus on underserved communities. The fellowship program places journalism fellows throughout the state in two-year, full-time reporting positions.

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Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

February 20, 2026

Oakland Post

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CITY OF SAN LEANDRO STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ENGINEERING DIVISION NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III

WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.

Published

1 week ago

February 20, 2026

Oakland Post

PROJECT NO. 2020.0050

BID NO. 25-26.011

BID OPENING: The bidder shall complete the “Proposal to the City of San Leandro” form contained in the Contract Book. The proposal shall be submitted in its entirety. Incomplete proposals will be considered non-responsive. Sealed bids containing the completed Proposal Section subject to the conditions named herein and in the specifications for ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III/PROJECT NO. 2020.0050 addressed to the City of San Leandro will be received at City Hall, 835 East 14^th Street, 2^nd Floor San Leandro at the office of the City Clerk up to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.
OBTAINING THE PROJECT PLANS AND CONTRACT BOOK: The project plans and Contract Book may be obtained free of charge from the City’s website at:https://www.sanleandro.org/Bids.aspx Bidders who download the plans are encouraged to contact the City of San Leandro Public Works Department Engineering division at 510-577-3428 to be placed on the project planholder’s list to receive courtesy notifications of addenda and other project information. Project addenda, if any, will be posted on the website. A bidder who fails to address all project addenda in its proposal may be deemed non-responsive.Bidders may also purchase the Project Plans and Contract Book from East Bay Blueprint & Supply Co., at 1745 14^th Street, Oakland, CA 94606; Phone Number: (510) 261-2990 or email: ebbp@eastbayblueprint.com.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE: A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM and on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM as follows:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Zoom Meeting ID: 883 8752 6074
Passcode: 502955
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/88387526074?pwd=hZ5rjB8AWdLAUem3CtByFiZxqKarHj.1
And
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM
Zoom Meeting ID: 898 2672 0472
Passcode: 091848
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/89826720472?pwd=JgZX2nXMpLSRM5xDPr7EJUxl7QIznr.1The information presented at the conferences will be identical, all bidders must attend one of the pre-bid conference and sign the attendance sheet. A firm that didn’t attend the pre-bid conference isn’t qualified to bid on the project.Questions regarding the plans and specifications may be submitted in writing to the project engineer until 5:00 p.m. five (5) days before, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, bids must be received by the City. The City will not respond to oral questions outside of the pre-bid conference. The response, if any, will be by written addendum only. Oral responses do not constitute a revision to these plans or specifications.
VALUE OF WORK: The Engineer has estimated that the value of work is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000.
SAN LEANDRO BUSINESS PREFERENCE AND PARTICIPATION GOALS: The work performed under this contract is subject to Section 1-6-225 of the San Leandro Municipal Code regarding local business preference and participation. A list of companies that hold a San Leandro business license is located on the City webpage under the finance department, here: https://www.sanleandro.org/340/Business-License
SAN LEANDRO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT: The work performed under this contract is subject to the Community Workforce Agreement adopted by City Council Resolution 2015-104. Contractors attention is directed to Section 10.